IS NANAIMO CIVIC GOVERNANCE DEMOCRATIC?Or is the will of the majority being subverted?You may recall that last year city manager Mr. Swabey gave his opinion of how democracy is to function:"There's a big push for representative democracy in some way and I really think that is not the way to go, democracy is you are elected to make decisions and debate among yourselves the crowd is there to witness how democracy is working, not to be part of it."

Not just a few Nanaimo residents have been witnessing how democracy is working in Nanaimo, and a growing number are questioning what is going on at city hall with this new council.

Specifically, on Feb. 2 a resolution of this council was not executed even though it was a resolution of council. Anyone who has been following the 'process' that has led to the current conclusion of the Colliery Dam Debacle takes little comfort in what is happening with democracy in the City of Nanaimo.